May 18, 2012

In my previous posting, I wrote about creating your monthly marketing calendar. I suggested you determine the types and number of marketing activities you want to accomplish each week. Then, your job is to actually do what you think you should do; I suggested you get someone to hold you accountable to your marketing goals.

It occurred to me that what I’m talking about might make more sense if you could see a sample marketing calendar. So, let’s take a hypothetical attorney, who has decided he/she wants to accomplish the following activities during the course of a week:

Two letters to referral sources with interesting information

Two face-to-face meetings with potential referral sources

Five follow-up calls

One networking event

Two blog postings

One thank-you note

Using these parameters, the attorney’s weekly marketing calendar might look something like this:

In this case, our attorney has met twelve of his/her thirteen goals for the week. Not bad!

May 16, 2012

For many of us, our marketing efforts could aptly be described as “random acts of lunch.” And, of course, we get the results that we put into our efforts — random referrals from people who might think of us.

One of the problems I had when I was practicing was figuring out what I should be doing other than taking potential referral sources to lunch. I’ve previously written about the importance of following up with people.

Your marketing plan. But, what really works is having a marketing plan — a system to do certain things. Well and good, but plans aren’t worth anything unless they’re implemented. So, I’m going to suggest that you set some goals and deadlines for your marketing activities.

What marketing activities are we talking about? First, think of all the marketing things you should be doing, and how many of each you should do during the course of a month. Your activities might include:

Face-to-face meetings with potential referral sources

Sending interesting information to potential referral sources

Making follow-up calls

Publishing (an article, a blog) and letting people know about it

Attending networking meetings

Social events

Sending thank you notes

Your marketing calendar. Once you’ve created your marketing goals, put them on your calendar and break your monthly activities into weekly activities. Then, track what you’re doing on a weekly basis to make sure you’re keeping up with yourself.

An accountability system helps. If you have accountability issues, ask a team member to check in with you weekly. If you’re like me, you’ll actually do some of the things you should be doing because you’ll be too embarrassed to admit to your employee that you’re letting yourself down.

Be patient! Marketing takes time. After a month or two of tracking your monthly activities, you may think you’re not getting the results you want, but if you keep at it consistently, you’ll develop the relationships — and generate the referrals — you want.

Five polite things to do. In the article, Eliza Browning talks about what she calls “five business etiquette rules that matter now:”

1. Send a handwritten thank you note. It’s not that hard, it shows you’re classy, and it makes you stand out. I’ve gotten thank-you notes for my thank-you notes.

2. Know the names of the people around you (and the clients sitting across the table from you).

3. Don’t talk about anything private until you have private surroundings (Browning calls it the “elevator rule;” I think I would update it to the “cell phone in a restaurant rule”).

4. Pay attention when you’re talking to someone; in other words, stop playing with your phone/iPad/computer/electronic device du jour.

5. Don’t judge — not everyone is perfect like you and me, so it’s a good idea to keep your criticisms to yourself.

Why it’s important. You might think that this kind of stuff is old-fashioned, stodgy, stupid, and that I’m some sort of old fogey for promoting it. But, I like Browning’s observation that manners are “really all about making people feel good.” It seems to me that making people feel good is an excellent way to ingratiate yourself with clients, prospective clients, referral sources, opposing counsel, and your team members. And if they’re happy with you, won’t your life be easier?

February 8, 2012

I recently attended a talk by Dave Isay of StoryCorps. He was promoting his new book, All There Is (Penguin 2012), a compilation of oral histories about how people found, lost, and found romantic love at last.

I have been smitten by the advice given in one of the stories: there are six things to say to your spouse to assure a successful marriage. They are:

July 27, 2011

Most of the attorneys I coach say they want more clients. They usually want to build relationships with referral sources with the idea of using those relationships to generate business. This makes sense, because a good, reliable referral source for your business can be a wonderful thing.

The problem is that many attorneys don’t know what to say to a potential referral source (and the referral source doesn’t know what to say to the attorney, either). So, the relationship goes nowhere and everyone winds up being disappointed.

It’s not that hard, really. Referral sources want to know, like and trust the people they work with and to whom they send their clients. The quickest way to build such a relationship is to allow a referral source to open up to you and for you to let the referral source know that you are open to new business.

I think there are three magic questions to ask every time you talk to a referral source, whether it’s for the first time, or if you have been working with this individual for many years. Here they are:

Question 1: “How can I help you in your business?” By showing genuine interest in someone, you are much more likely to build a relationship with that person. Wouldn’t you like it if someone asked you this question? Offer to be a resource and to help. It will get you a long way — and a lot of business.

Question 2: “Do you know anyone you think I should meet?” Most people want to help. It’s okay to ask for assistance. Very often, a referral source knows someone who might be helpful to you in your business. Why not ask? If you do, you create the opportunity to learn about a potentially beneficial new relationship.

Question 3: “Are you working on any interesting cases lately?” This question is another way of reminding a referral source that you can be a resource to him or her. The referral source may not have thought about how you can help. So remind him or her. At worst, the answer to the question will be no. If so, you won’t have lost anything. However, the question may very well be yes, resulting in more work for you.